Doc Scratch
|symbol = |image = Scratch Unstable Slow.gif |imagewidth = 149 |caption = |bg-color = #28731e |first = 004101 |intro = 004153 |aka = Mr. Vanilla Milkshake, White Text Guy |age = Roughly as old as Alternia |screenname = |client = None |style = Perfect grammar and syntax, |specibus = Possibly pistolKind or revolverKind |home = The green moon of Alternia |pesterlogs = }} is a mysterious, powerful being who primarily with Vriska Serket via Trollian. Scratch uses pure white text and no chumhandle or trolltag, making the conversation difficult to read without highlighting. He types using accurate grammar and punctuation, without any of the defining "quirks" prevalent among troll conversations (though it could be said perfect grammar is a quirk in itself). Doc appears as a humanoid figure in a white and green suit with a white handgun. His head is shaped like a cue ball, though the lack of outline makes it look less like a ball and more like a hole in space. He is surrounded by the same green-white flickering lightning effect that surrounds Bec. Biography Doc Scratch is an officer of , the indestructible demon destined to enter the universe upon its death. He is also Alternia's First Guardian, an entity meant to protect the planet on which he is born, as well as facilitate the planet's 'ultimate purpose'. It is suggested that he is a skilled manipulator, whether through overt means (i.e. mind control) or simple psychological exploitation. Both he and Becquerel obtain their powers and their (at least near) omnipotence from the same genetic code, which is transcribed in one of Rose's Journals. He also fits into the extended billiards metaphor introduced by , representing the cue ball. His name is an obvious reference to the pool term for pocketing the cue ball, and may also play on "Old Scratch," a traditional name for Satan. Doc Scratch is responsible for manipulating Vriska into attacking her friends Tavros and Aradia. He personally distracts Aradia and Terezi from helping Tavros simply by standing near them during their Flarp session. He likely did this to kill off Aradia, who he was easily able to use as a pawn after her death. After the Black Queen is exiled to the Alternian wastelands during the troll's Sgrub session, she is "given a new purpose" by Doc Scratch, who teleports to the wastelands where she roams. Presumably, he intends to recruit her into the Felt, but Doc Scratch's motives, as always, remain unclear. Personality Not much is known about Doc Scratch. However, some traits of his personality show through his conversations with Vriska. He believes himself better than the kind of Vriska and Equius, as unlike them, , and he always plays with his cards face up. He also seems to be extremely intelligent and composed, as during the very same conversation with Vriska, he states that even though he tells Vriska what his next moves will be during their matches, she still can't beat him. This basically boils down to the fact that he is an expert manipulator of people but does not rely on deception to accomplish it - a skill that Vriska envies greatly in both Scratch and Terezi. The fact that he writes in the color white and that he has no Trollian handle indicates that he prefers to remain an anonymous party and work behind the scenes. He doesn't want to be directly involved in the happenings that lead to his employer's entry to the universe, and therefore prefers to coerce others to do it. Figuratively speaking, he seems to consider others to be less than players, mere pieces to be moved into place--or perhaps billiard balls which, when struck by the cue ball, will move, whether they desire to or not. In fact, though only a small portion of the conversation can be seen, in one panel we see Aradia conversing with Doc Scratch via Trollian, highlighting a portion of his text that suggests he doesn't understand the arrival of Jack Noir to the trolls' incipisphere, and isn't supposed to be involved with this partcular incident. When he speaks to Vriska it is with an air of superiority, telling Vriska that "The short amount of time I have reserved for arguing with a child has expired." Though he could have also been referring to Vriska's age, as she is only six solar sweeps old. Being near omniscient, anything unexpected or unexplainable is very troubling for him. For example, Vriska had been able to inch closer to victory during their matches of what appears to be chess on a game board that looks exactly like the Skaian battlefield after receiving the second Kernelsprite. In addition, Terezi had been able to initiate contact with him, even though he has no account name on the Alternian internet as well as uses a typewriter. She was able to do this with help from Sollux. He refused to tell her his name and instead told her to call him Mr. Vanilla Milkshake, foreshadowing Terezi's future habit of associating flavors with colors. Terezi then explained to him that the only reason Vriska was winning in their games was because she was cheating by using one of Doc's lost Magic Cue Balls. After being informed of this, Doc Scratch uncharacteristically and blows up the Cue Ball in Vriska's face, removing her vision eightfold and her arm. Category:Homestuck Category:Characters Category:Homestuck Characters Category:Antagonists/Enemies Category:Homestuck Antagonists/Enemies Category:Midnight Crew